Golf drive practice device



Dec. 24, 1963 w. B. POHLE GOLF DRIVE PRACTICE DEVICE Filed May 1, 1962 United States Patent Ofiice h 3,115,346 Patented Dec. 24, 1963 3,115,346 GOLF DRTVE PRACTICE DEVHIE Walter B. Pohie, 36 Upland Road, Lynn, Mass. Filed May 1, 1%2, Ser. No. 191,468 6 Claims. (Qt. 273185) This invention relates to a golf drive practice device and more particularly to what is sometimes called a portable golf tee, used for practicing drives and other strokes and when in a confined space or away from the golf links. The subject practice device or tee is of the captive ball type, having a tethered ball simulating a ball used in actual play.

In devices of this general character heretofore, when the tethered ball was a standard golf ball and the flight of the ball reached the end of the flexible member securing it to the device, abrupt stopping of the ball in flight would result in a recoil of the ball dangerous to the user of the practice device. Spring mounting of the ball tether, while absorbing the force of the ball in flight, simply exaggerated the return-recoil of the ball.

The captive ball type of golf drive practice device lends itself to mechanisms which might measure the probable distance which normally would be attained by practice shots from the device. However, as any golfer knows, the direction as Well as the distance of a shot is of importance in playing the game. A combination of distance and direction indicating devices in the practice apparatus is therefore desirable.

One object of the present invention is to provide a captive ball golf stroke practice device in which dangerous recoil of the ball is prevented although a standard weight and size golf ball is used to simulate the actual playing conditions. Another object is to provide in such a practice device, arrangements and mechanisms for gauging the approximate distance and direction of flight of the driven captive golf ball so that the effectiveness of a practice drive or other shots may be determined.

Other objects, advantages and details of that which is believed to be novel and included in this invention will be clear from the following description and claims, taken with the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an example of a golf drive practice device embodying the present invention and incorporating a means for preventing harmful recoil of a tethered ball and mechanisms for gauging both the distance and direction of flight of a driven captive golf ball.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of one example of a captive ball golf dnive practice device;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section longitudinally through the device of FIG. '1, broken into sections for clarity of illustration, showing the internal operating parts of the device at rest, and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section like FIG. 2 of a portion of the device showing the parts in an extended or active operating position.

In carrying out the objects of this invention in one embodiment thereof a standard golf ball is tethered as by a flexible strand 12 to the test device proper, indicated generally by the number 14. The flexible strand 12 is preferably of substantial length, of the order of 15 feet, and may be a IOU-pound-test monofllament fishing line or something of a similar nature. A double knot on the end of the line secures the ball thereto after the line has been passed through an anchoring tube 11 extending through the ball. Preferably, tube 11 has a funnel shaped end to receive and retain the double knot on the end of the line. Other suitable arrangements not involved in the present invention might be used to secure the end of the flexible strand to the ball. The use of a standard golf ball rather than a ball of special design is preferred so that the practice golfer will not become accustomed to using a ball with characteristics different from those of a ball used in actual play.

The test device proper has a heavy base 16 which may be made of cast iron or similar material and which serves more or less as a permanent anchor, for the device as a whole. The base is conveniently in the form of a tripod having three supporting feet 18 and may be suitably ornamental or decorative. Secured to the base as by machine screws 20 is the mechanism for checking the ball in flight, this consisting of a fluid pressure cylinder 22 which, for reasons which will later appear, is made preferably of a clear plastic material. The screws 20 are secured in support collars 24 and 26 which surround the cylinder 22 and may be made of brass or similar material. Intermediate support nuts 28 may be used between the screws 20 and the support collars if desired. Another support collar 30 may be used on the end of the cylinder 22 in order to protect that end against excessive wear or damage, and this may be held in place as by a clamp screw 32.

What might be called the front end of the device is substantially sealed and includes the elements for indicating the direction of flight of the tethered ball. The other or back end of the cylinder is left open to the atmosphere for purposes which will become obvious as the description proceeds.

In the front end of the tube is a baflle plate 34 having a central opening 36 therein through which the flexible strand 12 is threaded, the plate and the strand passing through the opening substantially sealing the cylinder for all practical purposes. However, the fit of the monofllament strand through this hole 36 must be sufliciently loose so that the strand may slide easily therein. The baflie plate is held in place by a cup shaped member 38 which in turn is held by and becomes a seat for a swivel ball 40 having a universal swivel mounting in a swivel collar 42 secured to the front of end support collar 24 as by a threaded lock ring 44. The ball seat member 38, the swivel ball 4% and the collar 42 all have central openings therethrough of a size to permit easy passage of the filament 12 in all positions of the swivel ball. Secured to the outer face of the swivel ball as by threading into its central opening is an elongated pointer and strand guiding tube 46 through which the flexible strand also passes.

The principal moving element in the device for tethering and checking the flight of the practice ball is the slide or piston member 48 shown here as an annular member having a peripheral groove in which a resilient O-ring St) is mounted for slidable sealing engagement with the inside of the tube or air cylinder 22. However, the end of the flexible strand 12 is not connected directly to this annular member but is connected to a separate shouldered plunger 52 acting as a valve means slidably fitting within the annular member, the piston as a whole thus including the annular slide 48 and the plunger 52. A hollow anchor screw 54 threaded into the end of the plunger may be used to secure this end of the line 12 to the plunger. The shoulder 56 on the plunger engages against the back of the annulus 48 so that as a forward pull is exerted on the strand 12 it will move the plunger 52 to the left in the cylinder, carrying with it the slide 48 and compressing air in front of the cylinder because the shouldered plunger acts as a valve sealing the slide when moved in that direction by the monofilament line. However, when the pull on the line is stopped, as when the practice ball reaches the end of its flight, the compressed air in the front part of the cylinder will first force the plunger out of the center of the slide 48 slightly and open the cylinder for release of air therefrom without return of the slide. It is this sudden release of the compression on the anchor point for the flexible tether at the limit of the captive flight of the ball which prevents the dangerous backlash or recoil,

limiting it to a few feet at the most. With a flexible line of substantial length as above sugegsted, a small amount of recoil is not objectionable. The amount or degree of air compression in the cylinder may be varied by a simple vent adjustment valve 58 threaded through the collar 24 at the front of the cylinder and opening into the cylinder. The amount of venting may be adjusted by a valve screw 6-Il and a check nut 62 in a manner readily understood By making the tube or cylinder of clear plastic, distance indication markings 64 at appropriate points on the tube may be viewed in conjunction with the position of the slide 48 after a practice drive to gauge the approximate yardage which would have been obtained by the drive. The slide is of course fitted with enough friction within the cylinder so that even after release of the plunger valve means 52 the slide will tend to remain in position until it is returned positively. In order to return the slide, means are attached thereto for moving it, together with the plunger, in a rearward direction, and this may conveniently take the form of a return line 66 secured to the slide 48 as by loop ing it around and within a peripheral groove 68, the ends of the loop in the line passing freely through passageways 7tl in the plunger 52 and ending in a return pull button 72. As the slide or piston member is moved backwardly in the tube by pulling on the button '72 at the end of the return line, this piston slide will finally strike against the shoulder 56 on plunger 52 and return this plunger along with the slide to the inactive position shown in FIG. *2. Passageways 7t) prevent build-up of compression as the slide moves.

To use the practice tee, the practice ball id is placed on the ground or floor or is teed up next to the front end of the device and the pointer tube 46 is positioned to be in substantial alignment with the cylinder or tube 22. First making sure that there are no obstructions within the limits of possible movement of the tethered ball, the practice golfer then drives the ball, using a standard or regular club C attempting to direct it in line with the cylinder and pointer tube. Assuming that the practice shot is good, the pivotally mounted pointer tube will guide the strand as it emerges from the cylinder and will be pivoted toward the direction of flight of the ball and indicate to the practice golfer his accuracy of direction. When the ball reaches the end of its tether, the slide 48 will have been moved by the captive ball line and phmger 52 opposite one of the distance markings 64 and the probable distance of the practice drive will be thus indicated. if desired, other arrangements for measuring the distance might be used, for example, a maximum pressure gauge calibrated in markings which indicate distance, this gauge communicating with the front end of cylinder 22 near vent valve 58.

The air cushion check on the flight of the ball, followed by the valved release of this air check immediately after it reaches its maximum and the ball is stopped, makes this practice driving device safe to use even though the standard weight and other characteristics of the practice ball closely approximate conditions in actual play. After the practice golfer has observed the probable direction and approximate distance of his practice drive, he may reset the device for another practice stroke simply by pulling on the return button 72, retrieving and replacing the practice ball for another shot and checking the alignment of the pointer tube.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of this invention are not limited to the particular details set forth as an example, and it is contem- Cal I 4 plated that various and other modifications and applications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims shall cover such. modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a golf drive practice device of the captive ball type with the ball attached by a flexible strand to the piston of a fluid pressure cylinder to move said piston and compress said fluid upon said captive ball being driven by a golf club,

*means responsive to the termination of the flight of said ball effective to release compressed fluid in said cylinder to prevent substantial return travel of said piston by fluid compressed by driving said ball' 2. In a practive device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fluid is air.

3. In a golf drive practice device of the captive ball yp an air cylinder,

a piston movable in said cylinder,

at flexible strand of substantial length attached to said piston and adapted for attachment to said ball to move said piston along said cylinder to compress said air upon said ball being driven by a golf club and valve means operated by said stnand eifective to release compressed air in said cylinder at the termination of flight of said ball to prevent substantial return travel of said ball and said piston by air compressed by driving said ball.

4. In a golf drive practice device of the captive ball 7 type an air cylinder a piston movable in said cylinder, said piston having an annular portion engaging the walls of said cylinder and a valve element fitting within said annular portion effective to seal said annular portion upon movement in one direction and toopen said annular portion for release of air through said annular portion upon movement in the opposite direction relatively to said annular portion,

a flexible strand of substantial length attached to said valve element and adapted for attachment to said ball to move said piston along said cylinder to move said piston in said one direction to compress said air upon said ball being driven by a golf club, said strand upon termination of the flight of said ball releasing said valve element for movement in said opposite direction to open said annular portion to release said compressed air to prevent substantial return travel of said annular portion and said ball.

5. In a golf drive practice device as claimed in claim 4, further including means attached to said annular Portion for moving said annular portion with said valve means in said opposite direction.

6. In a golf drive practice device as claimed in claim 5, further including pivotally mounted strand guide means pivotally responsive to the direction of flight of said ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,446,641 Craig Feb. 27, 1923 1,536,976 Sagl May 5, 1925 2,011,857 Holmes Aug. 20, 1935 2,897,674 McNeil Aug. 4, 1959 

1. IN A GOLF DRIVE PRACTICE DEVICE OF THE CAPTIVE BALL TYPE WITH THE BALL ATTACHED BY A FLEXIBLE STRAND TO THE PISTON OF A FLUID PRESSURE CYLINDER TO MOVE SAID PISTON AND COMPRESS SAID FLUID UPON SAID CAPTIVE BALL BEING DRIVEN BY A GOLF CLUB, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE TERMINATION OF THE FLIGHT OF SAID BALL EFFECTIVE TO RELEASE COMPRESSED FLUID IN SAID CYLINDER TO PREVENT SUBSTANTIAL RETURN TRAVEL OF SAID PISTON BY FLUID COMPRESSED BY DRIVING SAID BALL. 